Knee Injury in Weingarten, MO

Knee Injury in Weingarten, MO. Suffering a knee injury can wreak havoc on your day to day living, and even your long-term well-being. There is nobody in Weingarten, MO who is completely immune to the threat of a knee injury. People of all ages, genders, and activity levels can experience a knee injury. However, the most common knee-related complaints are knee injuries related to advanced age, repetitive motions (such as in certain occupations), and sudden movement or trauma that can happen in accidents and when engaging in physical activities.

Are you experiencing knee-related symptoms like pain, swelling, or buckling? You may have a knee injury, whether or not you can identify a specific moment of trauma that could explain the injury. For your swift and successful recovery, contact Axes Physical Therapy for help with your knee injury near Weingarten, MO. Our team of physical and occupational therapists will lead you toward a stronger, healthier, pain-free you.

knee injury Weingarten, MO | Weingarten physical therapy for knee injury

What Are Knee Injuries?

The knee earns the title of the largest joint in the human body and is integral to executing so many of the motions and actions that are unique to humans, making it possible for us to carry out the complex tasks we use every day to go about our lives. The knee consists of four different structures, all of which can be injured or damaged. The knee contains bones, cartilage, ligaments, and tendons.

The bones of the knee include the tibia, femur, and patella. These three bones are held in place by groups of muscles, tendons, and ligaments that work together to make it possible for us to move our legs. In addition to connecting bones within the joint together, the ligaments also create stability and prevent movement in certain directions. Within the joint, the end of each bone is capped by a layer of cartilage. The cartilage tissue cushions the hard bones where they meet and absorbs the shock of movement and weight that introduce pressure to the joint.

All the different components of the knee’s anatomy, both hard bone and soft tissue, are critical to the healthy functioning of the knee joint, and any kind of damage to the bones, muscles, tendons or ligaments within the joint can lead to a knee injury. If you or a family member have recently suffered any kind of trauma to your knee or surrounding area or have developed a chronic condition that could cause damage to the knee structure, reach out to Axes Physical Therapy to learn about how to care for and heal your knee injury in Weingarten, MO today or make an appointment online now.

Knee Injury Statistics in in Weingarten, MO and the US

The knee is a complex part of the human body — a beautifully constructed joint that allows us to move and act in ways other animals cannot. However, the intricate joint design brings with it an inherent susceptibility to a number of different injuries. In fact, knee injuries account for the most common type of sports injury, attributed with 41 percent of all sports injuries. And sports injuries make up only one type of knee injury that people in Weingarten, MO and throughout the US commonly experience. Though physical activity is the more likely cause of knee injuries in young people, older adults who sustain knee injuries most often do so in acute injuries involving falls and ramps or through chronic conditions like osteoarthritis.

Consider these fast knee injury facts and statistics provided by Society for Academic Emergency Medicine:

Adolescents and young adults (patients ranging in age from 15 years old to their late 20’s) are the most likely to experience a knee injury
Men are more likely to have a knee injury than women, with 68% of knee injury patients categorized as male
Nearly half (49.5%) of all knee injuries occur in sports accidents
Among sports-related knee injuries, the sports activities most likely to lead to injury are soccer and skiing, each responsible for in excess of a quarter of all sports-related knee injuries
After sports injuries, top causes of knee injuries are home structures (30.2%), and home furnishings (13.6%)
The overwhelmingly most common knee injury diagnoses are strains and sprains at 42.1%; next are contusions and abrasions at 27.1% and lacerations and puncture wounds at 10.5%

Common Types of Knee Injuries in Weingarten, MO

Sprains and Strains. A sprain or strain knee injury involves a muscle or ligament within the joint structure of the knee. These injuries are caused by sudden force to the knee or a sudden or unintended motion of the knee (for example, planting the foot and pivoting, twisting the knee in the wrong direction).
Fractures. A fracture is another word for a broken bone, which can be anything from a small, partial crack like a hairline fracture to something much more devastating like a comminuted fracture when a bone is crushed into multiple fragments. Even the kneecap bone, called the patella, can be broken in a knee injury, especially in car accidents, hard falls against solid objects, assaults and other catastrophic events.
Cartilage or Ligament Tears. Blows to the knee from different directions can lead to a number of different knee injuries involving ligaments surrounding the joint. Twisting, pivoting, and other sudden changes in direction can also result in a meniscus tear — the cartilage padding the knee where the bones meet — and/or anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear injuries. You can learn more about our treatment and therapy services for Weingarten, MO ACL tears near you.
Arthritis. There are countless variations of arthritis and each patient’s experience of the condition is their own. However, if you live with arthritis or a similar condition and have symptoms of a knee injury like pain and limited mobility, your arthritis may be causing a knee injury and can even lead to the potential development of bone spurs. Arthritis can result in rapid and irreparable degeneration of the cartilage and in your knee joint.
Tendonitis and Inflammation. Tendons in the knee area can become inflamed through overuse or repeated stress, common in people who engage in frequent activities like running, jumping, and cycling. One of the most common types of tendonitis knee injuries is jumper’s knee. This condition is caused by the repeated force of hitting the ground after jumping.

Knee Injury Risk Factors in Weingarten, MO

Being overweight. Being overweight or obese increases stress on the majority of your joints including your knees, even during what are generally considered light activities from walking, sitting and standing, and going up and down stairs. It is also a risk factor for developing osteoarthritis by accelerating the breakdown of joint cartilage.
Weakness or stiffness. Inadequate strength or flexibility can put you at a heightened risk of knee injuries. Strong muscles protect your joints and keep them properly aligned, and adequately flexible muscles make it possible to enjoy full range of motion.
Certain activities and occupations. Some athletic and occupational activities put greater stress on your knees than do others. Downhill snowboarding and skiing involve rigid boots and potential for falls, basketball jumps and pivots, and the relentless pounding your knees take when you run or jog all increase your risk of knee injury in Weingarten, MO. Jobs that involve repetitive stress on the knees such as construction or farming put you at an increased risk as well.
Previous Injury. Having a previous knee injury makes it more likely that you’ll injure your knee again.
Old age. As our bodies age, our tissues start to wear down. The knee is no exception. The protective cartilage cushioning the bones in your knee can wear thin, and conditions associated with advanced age like osteoporosis leave your bones weak, making you.

When You Need Weingarten, MO Knee Injury Treatment

As with any medical condition or injury, each patient is different and you should always speak with a licensed medical professional when a knee injury or any condition makes it difficult or impossible for you to function as normal or causes you serious pain. After all, if there was a treatment solution that could treat your chronic pain and restore your mobility in a joint as important as the knee, wouldn’t you try it?

While your experience as a patient is unique, there are certain times that immediate medical care is necessary. After suffering an acute knee injury, noticeable swelling is a warning sign that you need emergency medical attention. According to Yale Medicine, swelling after a knee injury is a hallmark sign that the injury is serious and medical care is warranted. Immediate, significant swelling that happens within three to four hours after an instance of acute trauma to the knee is usually a sign that blood is trapped in the joint.

What To Do After a Knee Injury in Weingarten, MO

When in doubt, err on the side of caution and seek out medical care right away after you notice a potential knee injury. Especially in the case of an acute or sudden injury, the commonly known RICE method can help mitigate the damage and support your knee injury recovery with a swift response to the trauma.

The RICE method refers to:

Rest. If you experience pain or suspect a knee injury, do not force any activity or introduce any additional undue stress to the joint. If possible, avoid putting weight on the affected knee and minimize movement.
Ice. The application of ice or a cold compress after an injury like a knee injury can help temporarily ease the pain and reduce swelling. When using ice on an injury, do not apply the ice directly on bare skin and remember to follow an alternating schedule of 20 minutes on and 20 minutes off.
Compression. It may be helpful to wrap the injured knee with a soft, elastic bandage or ace wrap. Take care not to wrap the area so tight that it causes pain or cuts off blood and oxygen circulation to the injured area.
Elevate. During the initial resting time after the occurrence of your knee injury, you can use pillows, a stool, or another prop or structure to help keep your injured knee elevated higher than your heart. This elevation can stimulate reparative blood flow to the injury, reduce pressure and throbbing, and encourage the removal of waste from the area.

Knee Injury Physical Therapy in Weingarten, MO

As a valued knee injury treatment patient with Axes Physical Therapy in the Weingarten, MO area, you will be assigned a dedicated physical therapist who will lead your knee injury recovery by administering a custom physical therapy treatment plan in Weingarten, MO. With years of clinical experience restoring knee injury patients back to full performance, your physical therapist will put their advanced education and the latest empirical data on the most up-to-date treatment practices to use to help you successfully heal from your Weingarten, MO knee injury and return to all the activities you love and need to be able to do for work, home, and recreation.

During your first Weingarten, MO appointment with Axes for your knee injury, your physical therapist will perform an evaluation of your overall condition, health history, and an injury screening. From providing a full and accurate picture of your overall health to consistently engaging in the prescribed exercises, it is critical that you take an active role in your knee injury physical therapy treatment.

In order to eliminate pain and other symptoms, heal the damaged tissue, and return you to optimal physical performance, your physical therapy treatment may involve a number of treatment modalities to target your knee injury.

Stretches and exercises
Gait and posture training
Heat and ice applications
Ultrasound
Electric stimulation
Kinesiology taping
Soft tissue massages or knee joint mobilization

The experts in movement health and the musculoskeletal system at Axes Physical Therapy in the Weingarten, MO area have experience guiding patients with all kinds of movement disorders, chronic pain, and injuries back to the life and activities they care about. Find out more about the conditions we treat and the treatment methods we provide near Weingarten, MO, such as:

Recover from your Knee Injury in Weingarten, MO Now

If you suffered an acute knee injury while being active or are experiencing any symptoms that you think may be caused by any type of knee injury, do not waste any time. Contact a trustworthy healthcare professional as soon as possible. As licensed physical and occupational therapists with decades of clinical experience restoring the mobility of our patients, the physical therapists of Axes Physical Therapy in Weingarten, MO will take charge of your recovery. Contact the professionals at any of our accessible treatment locations in the Weingarten, MO area to begin your healing journey and obtain relief from your knee injury.